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HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 61
Text of a further amendment, offered by Mr. Michlewitz of Boston, to the Senate amendment
(striking out all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the text contained in
Senate document numbered 17) to the House Bill making appropriations for fiscal year 2025 to
provide for supplementing certain existing appropriations and for certain other activities and
projects (House, No. 61). February 25, 2025.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
By striking out all after the enacting clause (inserted by amendment by the Senate) and
inserting in place thereof the following: –
1 SECTION 1. To provide for supplementing certain items in the general appropriation act
2and other appropriation acts for fiscal year 2025, the sums set forth in section 2A are hereby
3appropriated from the Transitional Escrow Fund established in section 16 of chapter 76 of the
4acts of 2021, as amended by section 4 of chapter 98 of the acts of 2022, unless specifically
5designated otherwise in this act or in those appropriation acts, for the several purposes and
6subject to the conditions specified in this act or in those appropriation acts, and subject to the
7laws regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. These
8sums shall be in addition to any amounts previously appropriated and made available for the
9purposes of those items. These sums shall be made available through the fiscal year ending June
1030, 2026.
11 SECTION 2A. To provide for certain unanticipated obligations of the commonwealth, to
12provide for an alteration of purpose for current appropriations and to meet certain requirements 2 of 12
13of law, the sums set forth in this section are hereby appropriated from the Transitional Escrow
14Fund established in section 16 of chapter 76 of the acts of 2021, as amended by section 4 of
15chapter 98 of the acts of 2022, unless specifically designated otherwise in this section, for the
16several purposes and subject to the conditions specified in this section, and subject to the laws
17regulating the disbursement of public funds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Except as
18otherwise stated, these sums shall be made available through the fiscal year ending June 30,
192026.
20 1599-2625For purposes related to supportive services and safe shelter for unhoused
21families in the commonwealth; provided, that the secretary of administration and finance may
22transfer funds from this item to state agencies as defined in section 1 of chapter 29 of the General
23Laws; provided further, that the secretary of administration and finance shall notify the house
24and senate committees on ways and means not less than 14 days prior to any such transfer of
25funds from this item; provided further, that temporary respite sites shall be available to eligible
26families upon arrival in the commonwealth, subject to appropriation, rules, regulations and
27availability, for a period of not more than 30 days, subject to any extensions upon written
28certification by the secretary of housing and livable communities; provided further, that
29temporary respite sites shall be available for a period of not more than 30 days to families who
30appear eligible but are unable to provide sufficient documentation as required by clause (4) of
31subsection (b) of section 7, subject to appropriation, rules, regulations and availability; provided
32further, that temporary respite sites shall only be available to families who provide information
33sufficient to comply with paragraph (C½) of section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws;
34provided further, that the length of stay at a temporary respite site shall constitute a benefit
35received under the emergency housing assistance program for the purpose of calculating length 3 of 12
36of stay limit under subparagraph (3) of paragraph (G) of said section 30 of said chapter 23B,
37added by section 3 of chapter 88 of the acts of 2024; provided further, that placement in a
38temporary respite site shall not make a family ineligible for the bridge shelter track after proving
39eligibility pursuant to section 7; provided further, that the executive office of housing and livable
40communities shall work with resettlement agencies to coordinate the provision of services to
41immigrant and refugee families and pregnant women in temporary respite centers; provided
42further, that the executive office shall continue to facilitate the provision of services to families
43and pregnant women in temporary respite centers; provided further, that funds appropriated in
44this item may be expended for any purpose under item 1599-0514 of section 2A of chapter 77 of
45the acts of 2023, item 1599-1213 of section 2A of chapter 88 of the acts of 2024 and items 7004-
460101, 7004-0108 and 7004-9316 of section 2 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024; provided
47further, that the secretary of administration and finance may transfer funds from this item to the
48Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund, established in section 2WWW of said chapter 29, for
49work programs targeted at supporting the populations served by this item; and provided further,
50that reporting requirements under said item 1599-0514 of said section 2A of said chapter 77 and
51said item 1599-1213 of said section 2A of said chapter 88 shall apply to this item…$425,000,000
52 SECTION 3. Section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
53Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after paragraph (C) the following paragraph:-
54 (C½)(1) The executive office shall require each individual adult applicant or beneficiary
55to disclose on their initial or subsequent application for emergency housing assistance benefits
56all prior criminal convictions and any pending charges for serious crimes, as defined by the
57executive office, whether in the commonwealth or another jurisdiction. The executive office
58shall not require prior convictions that have been sealed or expunged to be disclosed. Any adult 4 of 12
59applicant or beneficiary who fails to disclose prior criminal convictions and pending charges for
60serious crimes, as defined by the executive office, consistent with this paragraph shall not be
61eligible for benefits and any existing benefits shall be terminated.
62 (2) The executive office shall obtain criminal offender record information from the
63department of criminal justice information services for each individual adult applicant or
64beneficiary prior to placement into the emergency housing assistance program. An adult
65applicant or beneficiary who fails to consent to the executive office obtaining such criminal
66offender record information consistent with this paragraph shall not be eligible for benefits and
67any existing benefits shall be terminated. The executive office shall establish, through
68regulations, protocols on information received from the department of criminal justice
69information services.
70 (3) The executive office shall promulgate regulations placing limitations or exclusions on
71individuals found to have criminal convictions or pending charges for serious crimes, as defined
72by the executive office by regulation.
73 SECTION 4. Paragraph (G) of said section 30 of said chapter 23B, inserted by section 3
74of chapter 88 of the acts of 2024, is hereby amended by striking out subparagraphs (3) through
75(9), inclusive, and inserting in place thereof the following 6 subparagraphs:-
76 (3) A family with children or a pregnant woman with no other children that receives
77benefits through the emergency housing assistance program shall, subject to appropriation and
78rules and regulations, remain eligible for the program for not more than 6 consecutive months.
79 (4) Any family or pregnant woman with no other children may receive extensions upon
80written certification of hardship by the secretary; provided, however, that hardship waivers shall 5 of 12
81be granted by the secretary for a family with an individual who: (i) is qualified as a veteran under
82clause Forty-third of section 7 of chapter 4 who is not enrolled in services specifically tailored to
83veterans, including, but not limited to, those administered by the executive office of veterans
84services; (ii) is under the age of 6; (iii) is at imminent risk of harm due to domestic violence; (iv)
85is documented as having a disability; (v) has imminent pending placement in housing for the
86entire family receiving benefits under the emergency housing assistance program; (vi) has a
87high-risk pregnancy; or (vii) satisfies any additional criteria the secretary of housing and livable
88communities deems necessary.
89 (5) The executive office shall limit the number of families and pregnant women with no
90other children to be terminated from the emergency housing assistance program in any week due
91to reaching the length of stay limit established in subparagraph (3). The executive office shall
92provide notice not less than 90 days prior to the termination of benefits for each family and
93pregnant woman.
94 (6) The executive office shall promulgate regulations or guidance for eligibility which
95shall: (a) establish procedures for the termination of benefits pursuant to this paragraph,
96including for a hardship waiver under subparagraph (4); and (b) allow a family with children or a
97pregnant woman with no other children to reapply for the emergency housing assistance
98program; provided, however, that eligibility determinations when reapplying for the program
99shall be consistent with the guidance issued by the secretary of housing and livable communities.
100 (7) The executive office shall provide printed handouts to families with children and
101pregnant women receiving benefits through the emergency housing assistance program which
102shall include, but shall not be limited to, information about: (a) authorized training programs; (b) 6 of 12
103approved training programs; (c) food resources, including food pantries; (d) services offered by
104resettlement agencies; (e) other housing programs; (f) other nonprofit or available resources the
105executive office deems necessary or helpful; and (g) the length of stay limit and extension
106process. All written information shall be translated into multiple languages and shall be available
107on the executive office’s website.
108 (8) This paragraph shall apply during any period in which the secretary of housing and
109livable communities has determined that the shelter system is no longer able to meet all current
110and projected demand for shelter from eligible families considering the facts and circumstances
111then existing in the commonwealth.
112 SECTION 5. Said section 30 of said chapter 23B, as amended by said chapter 88, is
113hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:-
114 (H) The executive office shall require each adult applicant or beneficiary that joins a
115family that is receiving emergency housing assistance benefits to provide notice to the executive
116office of any addition to the family and the executive office shall require a complete review of all
117information necessary to verify the individual’s eligibility pursuant to this section and 760 CMR
11867.00 or successor regulations. Any adult applicant or beneficiary who fails to report to the
119executive office for complete verification of requirements pursuant to this section or 760 CMR
12067.00 or successor regulations shall not be eligible for benefits and any existing benefits shall be
121terminated.
122 SECTION 6. Item 1599-1213 of section 2A of said chapter 88 is hereby amended by
123inserting after the word “equity” the following words:- ; provided further, that a portion of such 7 of 12
124funds shall be expended to rapidly rehouse families residing in temporary respite sites into
125permanent, stable housing.
126 SECTION 7. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
127context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
128 “Emergency housing assistance program”, a program of emergency housing assistance
129pursuant to section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws and funded by item 7004-0101 of
130section 2 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024.
131 “Executive office”, the executive office of housing and livable communities.
132 (b) Notwithstanding item 7004-0101 of section 2 of chapter 140 of the acts of 2024, the
133executive office shall:
134 (1) require families whose income exceeds 200 per cent of the federal poverty level for 4
135consecutive months to be deemed ineligible for the emergency housing assistance program;
136 (2) require that all emergency housing assistance program benefits under said item 7004-
1370101 of said section 2 of said chapter 140 shall only be provided to families consisting entirely
138of residents of the commonwealth who are citizens of the United States or persons lawfully
139admitted for permanent residence or otherwise permanently residing under the color of law in the
140United States, except in cases where a child in the family is a citizen of the United States, a
141person lawfully admitted for permanent residence or a person permanently residing under color
142of law in the United States;
143 (3) to the extent practicable, make best efforts to place a family receiving benefits under
144the emergency housing assistance program within 20 miles of the household’s home community; 8 of 12
145 (4) verify for each emergency housing assistance applicant, their: (a) identity; (b)
146Massachusetts residency pursuant to paragraph (5); (c) relationship status; (d) pregnancy status;
147and (e) other eligibility requirements in said item 7004-0101 of said section 2 of said chapter 140
148and pursuant to 760 CMR 67.00 or any successor regulations, through third-party verification or
149otherwise, prior to placement in an emergency shelter; provided, however, executive office shall
150not be required to provide shelter to families who are unable to provide required verifications in
151this section prior to placement; provided, further, that the executive office may offer a case-
152specific waiver for exigent circumstances and at the discretion of the executive office; and
153provided further, that the executive office shall define through regulations said case-specific
154waivers which shall include, but shall not be limited to, waivers for: (i) an imminent threat of
155domestic violence; (ii) families with a family member who has a documented disability; (iii) a
156qualified veteran under clause Forty-third of section 7 of chapter 4 of the General Laws who are
157not enrolled in services specifically tailored to veterans, including, but not limited to, those
158administered by the executive office of veterans services; and (iv) families with a family member
159who has a high-risk pregnancy or who has recently given birth; and
160 (5) require each applicant for benefits under the emergency housing assistance program
161to establish residency in the commonwealth; provided, however, that an applicant shall be
162required to show an intent to remain in in the commonwealth, which may be shown through
163sources of verification accepted by the executive office; and provided further, that the executive
164office shall promulgate regulations on sources of acceptable verification which shall include, but
165shall not be limited to, documentation showing a person receives MassHealth, documentation
166showing a person receives public benefits in the commonwealth, a bill or other insurance
167documentation with an address, email, letter or statement from a licensed health care worker on 9 of 12
168office letterhead or office email stating that the person lives in the commonwealth or a photo
169identification issued by the commonwealth.
170 SECTION 8. Notwithstanding section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws, beginning
171on December 31, 2025 through December 31, 2026, the total capacity of the emergency housing
172assistance program established pursuant to said section 30 of said chapter 23B shall not exceed
1734,000 families.
174 SECTION 9. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any funds
175expended after the effective date of this act for the purpose of providing services through or
176related to families and pregnant women served by the emergency housing assistance program
177pursuant to section 30 of chapter 23B of the General Laws shall be subject to a competitive
178bidding process.
179 SECTION 10. The executive office for administration and finance shall submit a
180biweekly report to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives and the house and senate
181committees on ways and means that shall include, but not be limited to: (i) reporting under item
1821599-0514 of chapter 77 of the acts of 2023; (ii) reporting required under section 19 of chapter
18388 of the acts of 2024; (iii) the total caseload of the emergency housing assistance program,
184delineated by rapid shelter track and bridge shelter track; (iv) the number of families who have
185applied for emergency assistance housing in the previous 14 days, delineated by rapid shelter
186track and bridge shelter track; (v) the number of families who were unable to provide the
187required verification during application as established under section 6 in the previous 14 days;
188(vi) the number of families who were unable to provide the required verifications but were
189granted a case-specific waiver by the secretary of housing and livable communities in the 10 of 12
190previous 14 days; (vii) the number of families on the waitlist for services under the emergency
191assistance housing program, delineated by rapid shelter track and bridge shelter track; (viii) a
192description of the services provided to such families, delineated by rapid shelter track and bridge
193shelter track; (ix) the total number of families who have exited the emergency assistance housing
194program in the previous 14 days, delineated by rapid shelter track and bridge shelter track and
195delineating length of stay in emergency shelter of each family, with information on housing
196outcomes for each family including, but not limited to, exits to stable housing, transitional
197housing, a homeless shelter or homelessness; (x) a summary of resources, programs and
198assistance, including, but not limited to, HomeBASE, used by families who exited shelter in the
199previous 14 days, delineated by rapid shelter track and bridge shelter track, and including the
200length of time between when families apply for assistance and when they are approved, with
201information on housing outcomes for each family including, but not limited to, exits to stable
202housing, transitional housing, a homeless shelter or homelessness; (xi) the total number of
203families who exited emergency shelter in the previous 14 days due to the length of stay limits,
204delineated by rapid shelter track and bridge shelter track, and including information on resources
205or supports for those families exiting; (xii) the total number of families on the waitlist who have
206been placed in emergency shelter in the previous 14 days, delineated by rapid shelter track and
207bridge shelter track; (xiii) the total number of individuals in the emergency assistance housing
208program that are employed; (xiv) the average and median length of stay for families currently in
209the emergency assistance housing program, delineated by rapid shelter track and bridge shelter
210track; (xv) the total number of families who have applied for a hardship waiver established under
211section 4 and were granted a hardship waiver by the secretary of housing and livable
212communities in the previous 14 days; (xvi) the total number of hotel and motel rooms in use in 11 of 12
213the previous 14 days, delineated by municipality; (xvii) the total number of hotel and motel
214rooms that have been phased out of emergency shelter use in the previous 14 days, delineated by
215municipality; (xviii) a summary of the reasons for which families within the emergency housing
216assistance program have become homeless, including whether they had previously applied for
217other forms of housing assistance and were delayed or denied in receiving such assistance
218immediately before becoming homeless, and the total number of families attributed to each
219reason; (xix) the weekly average per-family cost associated with housing families in the
220emergency housing assistance program; and (xx) the total estimated cost of the emergency
221assistance housing program for fiscal year 2026 based on projected changes to estimated
222caseload, capacity and other policy changes under this act.
223 SECTION 11. The executive office for administration and finance, in consultation with
224the executive office of housing and livable communities, shall submit a report not later than 60
225days following the effective date of this act to the clerks of the senate and house of
226representatives and the senate and house committees on ways and means detailing a plan to
227phase out the use of hotels and motels for emergency housing assistance not later than December
22831, 2025. The report shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) the total number of hotel and
229motel rooms to be phased out; (ii) the planned number of hotel and motel rooms to be phased out
230each month; (iii) the planned date by which phasing out hotel and motel rooms is to be
231completed; (iv) the methodology to identify and prioritize hotel and motel rooms to phase out;
232(v) the communication protocols or plans to inform stakeholders of changes and support families
233exiting hotels; (vi) the total estimated savings due to phasing out hotel and motel rooms; and (vii)
234the monthly estimated savings due to phasing out hotel and motel rooms. 12 of 12
235 SECTION 12. The executive office of housing and livable communities, in coordination
236with the department of state police, shall study the feasibility of conducting a background check
237through the National Crime Information Center for each adult applicant or beneficiary placed in
238the emergency housing assistance program. The study shall include, but not be limited to,
239information on: (i) federal approvals necessary to conduct such background checks; (ii) projected
240costs for conducting such background checks; and (iii) any impediments to conducting such
241background checks, as determined by the executive office in consultation with the department of
242state police in the course of the study. The executive office of housing and livable communities
243shall submit a report summarizing the results of the study to the clerks of the senate and house of
244representatives and the senate and house committees on ways and means not later than July 1,
2452025.